[1]
Part 21 includes Articles 25 through 32 of Ord. 6-4-84, 6/4/1984.
[Ord. 6-4-84, 6/4/1984, Art. 25]
It is the intent of this chapter that all questions of interpretation and enforcement shall be first presented to the Zoning Administrator and then the Zoning Hearing Board. Recourse from the decisions of the Zoning Hearing Board shall be to the courts as provided in § 27-2007.
It is further the intent of this chapter that the duties of the Township Supervisors in connection with this chapter shall not include hearing and deciding questions of interpretation and enforcement that may arise. The procedure for deciding such questions shall be as stated in this chapter. Under this chapter the Township Supervisors shall have only the duties (1) of considering and adopting or rejecting proposed amendments or the repeal of this chapter, as provided by law, (2) of establishing a schedule of fees and charges as stated in § 27-2102, and (3) those duties specifically noted in other articles of this chapter.
[Ord. 6-4-84, 6/4/1984, Art. 26]
The Township Supervisors shall establish a schedule of fees, charges, and expenses and a collection procedure for Building and Zoning Permits, Certificates of Zoning Compliance, appeals, petitions, and other matters pertaining to this chapter. The schedule of fees shall be posted in the office of the Zoning Administrator, and may be altered or amended only the Township Supervisors.
[Ord. 4-1989, 12/18/1989]
1. 
The Board of Supervisors may from time to time amend, supplement, or repeal any of the regulations and provisions of this chapter. The procedure for the preparation of a proposed zoning ordinance as set forth in § 607 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10607, is hereby declared optional.
2. 
Before voting on the enactment of an amendment, the Board of Supervisors shall hold a public hearing thereon, pursuant to public notice. In addition, if the proposed amendment involves a zoning map change, notice of said public hearing shall be conspicuously posted by the Township of North Lebanon at points deemed sufficient by the Township of North Lebanon along the perimeter of the tract to notify potentially interested citizens. The affected tract or area shall be posted at least one week prior to the date of the hearing.
3. 
In the case of an amendment other than that prepared by the Planning Commission the Board of Supervisors shall submit each such amendment to the Planning Commission at least 30 days prior to the hearing on such proposed amendment to provide the Planning Commission an opportunity to submit recommendations.
4. 
If, after any public hearing held upon an amendment, the proposed amendment is changed substantially, or is revised, to include land previously not affected by it, the Board of Supervisors shall hold another public hearing, pursuant to public notice, before proceeding to vote on the amendment.
5. 
At least 30 days prior to the public hearing on the amendment by the Board of Supervisors, the Township of North Lebanon shall submit the proposed amendment to the county planning agency for recommendations.
6. 
Within 30 days after enactment, a copy of the amendment to this chapter shall be forwarded to the county planning agency.
[Ord. 4-1989, 12/18/1989]
1. 
A landowner who desires to challenge on substantive grounds the validity of this chapter or the Zoning Map or any provision thereof, which prohibits or restricts the use or development of land in which he has an interest may submit a curative amendment to the Board of Supervisors with a written request that his challenge and proposed amendment be heard and decided as provided in § 916.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (hereinafter "MPC"), 53 P.S. § 10916.1. The curative amendment and challenge shall be referred to the Planning Commission and the county planning agency as provided in § 609 and notice of the hearing thereon shall be given as provided in §§ 610 and 916.1 of the MPC, 63 P.S. §§ 10609, 10610, and 10916.1.
2. 
The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with § 908 of the MPC and all references therein to the Zoning Hearing Board shall, for purposes of this section be references to the Board of Supervisors. If the Township of North Lebanon does not accept a landowner's curative amendment brought in accordance with this subsection and a court subsequently rules that the challenge has merit, the court's decision shall not result in a declaration of invalidity for this entire chapter and Zoning Map, but only for those provisions which specifically relate to the landowner's curative amendment and challenge.
3. 
The Board of Supervisors, if it determines that a validity challenge has merit, may accept a landowner's curative amendment, with or without revision, or may adopt an alternative amendment which will cure the challenged defects. The Board of Supervisors shall consider the curative amendments, plans and explanatory material submitted by the landowner and shall also consider:
A. 
The impact of the proposal upon roads, sewer facilities, water supplies, schools and other public service facilities;
B. 
If the proposal is for a residential use, the impact of the proposal upon regional housing needs and the effectiveness of the proposal in providing housing units of a type actually available to and affordable by classes of persons otherwise unlawfully excluded by the challenged provisions of this chapter or Zoning Map.
C. 
The suitability of the site for the intensity of use proposed by the site's soils, slopes, woodlands, wetlands, flood plains, aquifers, natural resources and other natural features;
D. 
The impact of the proposed use on the site's soils, slopes, woodlands, wetlands, flood plains, natural resources and natural features, the degree to which these are protected or destroyed, the tolerance of the resources to development and any adverse environmental impacts; and
E. 
The impact of the proposal on the preservation of agriculture and other land uses which are essential to public health and welfare.
[Ord. 6-4-84, 6/4/1984, Art. 28]
In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements, adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals, or general welfare. Wherever the requirements of this chapter are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, ordinances, deed restrictions, or covenants, the applicant shall be liable only to follow regulations prescribed by this chapter under the authority of the Zoning Administrator. It is intended and understood by the Township Supervisors that the applicant is subject to any and all covenants and laws but that there is no authority beyond zoning regulations to be applied by the Zoning Administrator.
[Ord. 4-1989, 12/18/1989]
In case any building, structure, landscaping or land is, or is proposed to be, erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, converted, maintained or used in violation of this chapter, the Board of Supervisors or, with the approval of the Board of Supervisors, an officer of the Township of North Lebanon, or any aggrieved owner or tenant of real property who shows that his property or person will be substantially affected by the alleged violation, in addition to other remedies, may institute any appropriate action or proceeding to prevent, restrain, correct or abate such building, structure, landscaping or land, or to prevent, in or about such premises, any act, conduct, business or use constituting a violation. When any such action is instituted by a landowner or tenant, notice of that action shall be served upon the Township of North Lebanon at least 30 days prior to the time the action is begun by serving a copy of the complaint on the Board of Supervisors. No such action may be maintained until such notice has been given.
[Ord. 4-1989, 12/18/1989]
1. 
Any person, partnership or corporation who or which has violated or permitted the violation of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon being found liable therefore in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township of North Lebanon, pay a judgment of not more than $500 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney fees incurred by the Township of North Lebanon as a result thereof. No judgment shall commence or be imposed, levied or payable until the date of the determination of a violation by the district justice. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the Township of North Lebanon may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation, unless the district justice determining that there has been a violation further determines that there was a good faith basis for the person, partnership or corporation violating this chapter to have believed that there was no such violation, in which event there shall be deemed to have been only one such violation until the fifth day following the date of the determination of a violation by the district justice and thereafter each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation.
2. 
The court of common pleas, upon petition, may grant an order of stay, upon cause shown, tolling the per diem fine pending a final adjudication of the violation and judgment.
3. 
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed or interpreted to grant to any person or entity other than the Township of North Lebanon the right to commence any action for enforcement pursuant to this section.
4. 
District justices shall have initial jurisdiction over proceedings brought under this section.
[Ord. 6-4-84, 6/4/1984, Art. 31]
Should any section or provision of this chapter be declared by the courts to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the chapter as a whole, or any part thereof other than the part so declared to be unconstitutional or invalid.
[Ord. 6-4-84, 6/4/1984, Art. 32]
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Zoning Chapter, or inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, are here repealed to the extent necessary to give the ordinance full force and effect. The ordinance shall become effective on June 9, 1984.